1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for the separation of volatile components in a gas phase using a membrane having a selective permeability. The present process and apparatus are energy-saving and industrially useful.
2. Description of the Related Art
Processes for the separation of individual components in a liquid comprising at least two volatile components, on the basis of their volatility, such as distillation, rectification and the like, are well-known and widely used in industry.
Processes for a liquid-phase separation of more than one component in a liquid using a membrane having a selective permeability are also well known and practically used. Recently, a process for gas-phase separation of gas components using a membrane having a selective permeability has been disclosed, but this process have not yet been developed fully for industrial application.
A process by which a liquid is heated by a heat exchanger to distill or concentrate the liquid is also well known and widely used. As is well known a thermodynamic phenomenon wherein the adiabatic compression of a gas causes a rise in the pressure and temperature thereof.
However, there is no known system for a mutual separation of more than one gas component, characterized by combining vaporization of a liquid using a heat exchanger, raising a pressure and temperature of a gas by adiabatic compression, and mutual separation of more than one gas component by a membrane having a selective permeability, resulting in a notable saving of energy costs by the use of an efficient heat recycling.